The Sandwich: Egg hash and salsa verde
Where: Pineapple and Pearls, 715 8th St. SE
Cost: $7.50
Stuffings: Egg hash with potato, red onion, peppers, salsa verde, curtido (a fermented cabbage slaw used in Latin American cuisine)
Bread: Masa bread
Pros: While many shops limit egg breakfast sandwich sales to mornings, the Pineapple and Pearls team has created a tangy, filling option that’s available at lunchtime, too. The egg hash feels more like a solid tortilla española than a jiggly omelette. Curtido, a condiment frequently served with pupusas, adds some refreshing acidity and a needed crunch to the soft egg and bread combination.
Cons: The wet salsa and slaw saturate the bread, which is modeled after a brioche and similarly light and airy. If you aren’t able to eat the sandwich right away, the pillowy bread dampens and loses its toasted stiffness.
Sloppiness level (1 to 5): 2.5. Although the softened bread can make the sandwich hard to handle at times, the layered ingredients remain intact due to an excellent packing job. Because the cafe only has a few seats, all offerings are tightly wrapped and designed to be eaten on the go.
Overall score: (1 to 5): 4.5. Don’t wait to eat this sandwich—not only because faster consumption gives the bread less time to become soggy, but because the bold flavor combinations taste so damn good. The sour and spicy vegetables with creamy eggs make for a sandwich that’s craveable long after breakfast is over.
Photo by Jessica Sidman